Page 72 of To Wed a Wild Scot
She laid her hands on his chest. “Not unpleasant, no. Just…” she swallowed, and her gaze lowered so she was staring at his cravat instead of into his eyes. “I don’t know what I did wrong.”
Logan stared down at her in astonishment. Jesus, is that what she thought? Thatshewas at fault? “You didn’t do anything wrong,bòcan. Last night wasmyfault, not yours. I should have taken care of you, and I failed.” He touched his lips to her forehead. “I’d never intentionally hurt you, Juliana. You know that, don’t you?”
She looked surprised. “I know you wouldn’t. It’s just that I was anxious, and when I get anxious I stiffen up. I don’t suppose that helped matters much, and I kept thinking of…well, it doesn’t matter.”
“What? What were you thinking?”
She tried to hide against his chest, but he touched his thumb to her chin and raised her face to his. “Juliana? What were you thinking?”
“I was thinking of Alison McLaren.”
“Alison McLaren?” For a second, Logan couldn’t even remember who Alison McLarenwas. “What, you mean Fergus’s daughter? Why in the world would you be thinking of Alison while we were…”
Oh.Oh.
He’d completely forgotten they’d met Alison at the Sassy Lassie earlier that day. Alison had flirted outrageously with him, just as she always did, and he’d laughed at her, just as he always did, but to Juliana it might have looked like a great deal more than that.
Her next words confirmed it. “I saw you with her, and it occurred to me your affections might already be engaged. She’s very pretty, and you looked so happy—”
Logan pressed a finger to her lips. “Juliana, listen to me. I’mnotin love with Alison McLaren. She’s a good lass, and I’m fond of her, but it’s not romantic. We’re friends, nothing more.”
A shy smile curved her lips. “Oh. Well, I suppose it’s all right, then.”
Logan gazed down at her, admiring the way the candlelight played over her golden waves. It struck him as unbelievable Juliana could think he’d even look at another woman. Since she’d come to Castle Kinross, he could think of nothing but her.
“I think you’re beautiful, Ana,” he whispered, his lips close to her ear. “I can’t take my eyes off you long enough to even notice another woman.”
A soft, sweet sigh left her lips, and she reached up to wrap her arms around his neck.
“I’ll promise I’ll take care of you tonight.” His voice lowered, deepened. “Do you trust me?”
She nodded, her eyes searching his.
When he bent to brush his lips over hers she met him halfway, and returned his kiss with the same innocent passion she had the first time he’d kissed her at Widow Macaulay’s. He was determined to build her desire slowly, however, and he spent long moments nibbling and teasing at her lips. When at last he slipped his tongue inside, she dug her fingertips into his shoulders and sighed into his mouth.
She was already trembling for him, but Logan held himself ruthlessly in check as he kissed and stroked her. By some miracle she’d given him a second chance, and he wouldn’t squander it.
He gathered her in his arms and carried her to the bed, taking care to smooth her skirts down her legs before he joined her. He trailed his knuckles across her cheek before he took her lips again. Logan kissed her and kissed her, his mouth growing just a bit hungrier as she tangled her tongue with his.
He rested a hand on her waist as he plundered her mouth. She whimpered when he dragged the tip of his tongue across the inside of her upper lip. The breathless little sound made him dizzy, and he slid a hand up her back.
Slowly, slowly…
He paused to kiss and nuzzle her as he bared her, worshipping every inch of that smooth, pale skin. He tasted her throat, her neck—kissed each of her shoulders and ran his tongue across one delicate collarbone, then the other. She whimpered when he pressed passionate kisses to the curves of her breasts, and cried out when his mouth found her sweet pink nipples.
“Logan.” She arched against him, her fingers tugging at his hair, but Logan took his time, rubbing his rough cheek against the hard peaks, then sucking them between his lips to soothe them. It wasn’t long before she was writhing beneath him.
And still, he didn’t stop. He held her shoulders against the bed, always gentle with her even as he tongued her relentlessly, licking at the stiff peaks. His cock was straining against his falls. He ached to sink into her damp heat, but he also thought he could stay here all night, teasing her nipples and listening to her sighs and moans.
He kneaded the slight curve of her belly, and traced light circles on her abdomen with his fingertip. He stroked her hips and sides, his palms gliding over her supple flesh. He pressed dozens of kisses between her breasts. He caressed and played and coaxed her body until at last he dragged his hand down her belly and slid his fingers between her legs.
Logan’s lips parted and his eyes slid closed when he felt how wet she was. “Ah, God, sweetheart, you’re so ready for me.”
“Yes. Please, Logan.” She arched against him, and her core rubbed against his hard length. Logan groaned and nudged between her legs as his mouth closed around a nipple.
She gasped and curled her fingernails into his shoulders, then leaned up and pressed her lips to the hot skin of his throat. Logan threw his head back with another moan, stunned to find how badly he wanted her mouth on his bare skin.
Juliana tugged on his shirt, trying to reach more of him. “Take this off.”
